LAKKI MARWAT, April 14: Expressing deep concern over the worsening law and order situation in the district and increasing activities of local Taliban, the Marwat Qoumi Jirga (MQJ) called upon the government to take concrete measures to ensure writ of the law in the district and take action against local Taliban.

The jirga participants discussed law and order situation and reviewed progress on different development schemes currently under completion in the district.

They condemned forced removal of tape-recorders from vehicles and manhandling and beating of dancers by local Taliban that led to armed clashes between villagers and members of local Taliban. They said Taliban members were spreading hatred, creating lawlessness and harassing the peace-loving people of the district.

They demanded of the provincial government to ensure peace and writ of law in the area besides taking stringent measures against armed extremist groups. They said that Islam is a religion of peace and no one has the right to enforce his ideas in the name of Islam by force and take law into his hand for this purpose. Speaking on the occasion, federal minister Salim Saifullah Khan asked the people to forge unity in their ranks and foil mischievous designs of anti-state elements.

He said due to consistency of policies the country had been put on the path to progress and local and foreign investors were coming in droves to avail of investment opportunities offered by the government.

The minister said that under the vision of President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz each and every house of the district would get natural gas, electricity and drinking water facilities by the end of this year.

Referring to rains that hit the area recently, he said the federal government would extend financial assistance to the rain and hailstorm-stricken people of the district as a comprehensive report of losses caused by rains and hailstorm had been furnished.

He said the report had urged the federal government to declare the Lakki Marwat district as calamity hit area.

He expressed his anguish over the Dhoda firing incident and said that such incidents could lead to outbreak of civil war if the provincial government did not take prompt measures to curb activities of armed groups.

The jirga was attended by Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Salim Saifullah Khan, District Nazim Humayun Saifullah Khan, Lakki Tehsil Nazim advocate Fareedullah Khan Meenakhel, Tehsil Naib Nazim Shaukat Hayat Khan, former district naib nazim advocate Arifullah Khan Meenakhel, former city nazim advocate Naimatullah Khan, Dr Khalid Latif Khan Meenakhel, Haji Muhammad Aslam Khan Eesakkhel, Malik Muhammad Idrees Khan, union nazims and elders of the area.